Through the Dust and Decay
by AppleOrchardBanana
Summary: Yuri was at the top of her hero game and living her best life. One day while investigating a crime, she has a run in with an old friend and finds temptation she didn't know existed. Sometimes the most twisted emotions can be the most satisfying. NOT canon and does not follow timeline. Some SPOILERS and THEORIES, ADULT CONTENT/SEXUAL CONTENT AND THEMES;; SMUT
1. Chapter 1

A dark figure moved quietly in the inky blackness. He watched from behind a tree line, peering up at the guard towers that sat on each corner of the long, tall chain length fences. The razor wire curled menacingly at the top of the double rows of fencing, threatening disembowelment for anyone bold enough to attempt escape. People typically weren't trying to get in, but he wasn't a typical individual. He also wasn't concerned about having to go over the fencing. The plan was always to go _through_.

The guard turned around in his post, looking this way and that, before seeming to settle into a seat. The figure watched and waited for several minutes until he saw the man's head tilt forward. He seemed to jerk back awake but was soon still and fast asleep.

The young man took a tentative step out from the trees, his dark hoodie pulled up over his head, allowing him to blend seamlessly into the night. He walked to the corner of the fencing, below the guard tower, close to a tall, long cinderblock wall. The outer wall of the prison. He stretched his hand out, grasping at the linking of the fence, letting all his fingers connect with the metal. The cool, hard steel began to flake away, becoming a handful of ash. He watched the disintegration spread until it was just large enough for him to step through. He took several steps and came to the next row of fencing. He completed the same routine, watching the metal turn to dust and spread down the length of the fence. He wasn't a very large young man. A small opening was enough for his thin frame to shimmy through. However, the person he would be leaving with would need a larger exit.

He was now in what would have been the courtyard for outdoor time for the prisoners. He cracked a smile as he surveyed the wall of the prison, a display of teeth that would make anyone uncomfortable. It was too easy. The windows were slightly higher than his head. He would have to peer inside to find his intended target. He walked away from the wall enough to get a running start and kicked off the side of the wall enough to propel himself up. He grabbed the bars over the window and pulled himself up to look inside.

He couldn't see a damn thing. Irritated, he let go and dropped back down to the ground. He scratched at his neck, thinking hard about what to do next. He stopped scratching abruptly.

_Fuck it, _he thought, before reaching out and feeling the cool stone under his fingers. He ran from one window to the next, and looked back at his handiwork, seeing the wall turning to dust before his eyes. He walked back down the wall, looking into the new openings of each cell. Most of the prisoners were still sleeping, barely disturbed by the silent crumbling of the wall. One of the prisoners popped his head out from the opening, looking around as if he were unsure if it was some sort of a trap.

"You're free to go if you think you can make it past the guards," the dark figure called out to him. "But if you're feeling like a pussy, I'd just stay where I was." He continued to go from cell to cell, checking them, looking for someone in particular.

"Here you are," he said as he stepped over the threshold into one of the rooms. The captive inside swung his legs over the side of the bed, a crude shank in his hand. The large man was up and had his hand around the young man's throat in a flash, the shank held up, ready to descend. The young man's hands flew up, signaling they were empty of weapons.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you not to come into another man's space?"

"I thought you would have been a little happier to see your savior."

"My savior? Huh, could've fooled me. Just looks like some kid."

"I was actually sent here because you are owed a due. Does the name All for One mean anything to you?"

The man stilled as the moonlight began to stream in through the opening in the wall and he saw the disembodied hand covering the young man's face. The eyes peering through the fingers were wide and maniacal.

"You can consider this your repayment. If you come with me, I have an escape waiting. If you want to kill me, I'm sure you will quickly be caught."

His grip loosened. An alarm began to sound somewhere in the building. They both knew the guards would be there soon to contain the breakout.

He let go of the young man and lowered his hand, depositing the shank into the waistband of his pants.

"Lead the way, kid."

* * *

The pitter patter of footsteps running through the alleyways cut through the night sky, the splashes on the wet ground doing nothing to dampen the sound. The cloaked figure turned down another narrow passage, the back streets of the city becoming a labyrinth perfect for disappearance and escape. He'd been running for several minutes straight – a full on sprint – and endurance was not his game. He looked over his shoulder before slowing and leaning back against a brick wall. Surely they had lost him in the maze of buildings. He did his best to calm his breath, to quieten the inhalations and exhalations. The faster he could control his air, the faster he could continue on his journey in the calmest way possible. He stared straight ahead at the brick wall in front of him. He reached down into his pocket, making sure he hadn't dropped anything. His hands touched the cool plastic bag and he relaxed. He stood from the wall and began to walk, sure that his pursuers had given up.

No sooner had he turned a corner did he feel the earth start to quake. He looked down between his legs and saw a fissure race ahead of him. A tall wall of earth began to sprout out of the ground, as if the cement and the earth beneath had become liquid and was flowing upward. He turned to run back, but saw a figure standing in the alley that he'd just come down.

"Get on the ground!" a woman's voice yelled out. "But keep your hands where I can see them!"

The man smirked, and bent a knee, his hands going into the air. He began to move closer to the ground, preparing to lay belly down.

One of his hands shot out toward the woman, morphing into a long, whip like tentacle. He wrapped his arm around the woman's waist, pinning her arms to her sides. She was lifted off the ground by the tentacle and slammed into the brick wall of the alley.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of movement, a second too late. A large, man sized fist grew out of the ground, colliding into the side of him and sending him flying. The tentacle released the woman as the man crashed into a pile of garbage cans. The giant ground fist reared back, preparing for another hit, and the man saw the woman was pulling her own fist back in similar fashion. He reached into his pocket and produced a strange looking weapon, a gun of some kind, but it seemed to have a syringe attached to the top. He pointed the gun at the woman and pulled the trigger, sending an object jettisoning for her.

She dodged to the side and felt the air move just to the right of her head. She heard the object _tink _against the brick behind her before dropping to the ground.

A second set of footsteps landed behind him and he looked in time to see a rope descending around him, lassoing him in place.

"Synergis!" the second woman called. "Are you alright?"

"I think so," the first woman said as she worked her jaw and rubbed the side of her face. She felt something wet over her eyebrow and her fingers came away red. "Just a few scratches, nothing that won't heal."

The woman with the lasso quickly tightened the rope and kicked the villain onto his side with a threat of worse that would happen if he moved.

Synergis turned behind her and searched the ground before finding a small glass syringe-type object. A light blue liquid shone from inside the glass. "What's this?"

The other woman began going through the man's pockets, pulling out the gun and a small plastic bag of more glass vials. "I'm not sure, but it looks like he has a lot of them."

"Let's get him to the police and drop these vials off. It could be some new designer drug circling around."

The woman – Lady Lasso, or Natsuko, as she was known informally – pulled the villain to his feet and gripped the rope tightly. "Walk," she said and pushed him forward. Synergis walked on the other side of the man, following closely behind. They made their way back out of the maze of alleys and to the main road, turning and walking down the main sidewalk.

"This is embarrassing," the man groaned. "It's like the walk of shame."

"Maybe try not committing crimes next time," Lady Lasso said.

"Or get better at escaping," Synergis said with a shrug. Lady Lasso gave her a look and she shrugged again. She'd been a pro hero for around six years and she was still surprised at the poor quality of villains. They weren't even a challenge anymore. All petty thieves and idiotic, clumsy fools. They all outted themselves eventually. And when they did, they were easy prey for a predator such as herself. She'd graduated top of her class, after all, excelling in academics and physical combat. Her quirk was becoming too powerful almost, overpowering even some of the more difficult villains. It was almost too easy… dare she say, boring?

They turned and entered the police station to turn in the villain and the syringes. The process was so frequent now, they were in and out in 10 minutes. They stood outside the building.

"It's been a while since we've had something to eat, should we go grab a bite?" Synergis said as she looked up into the night sky. It was nearing 5 am.

"Actually it looks like we might have another case to go look at first. Something happened at the local prison. Let's hop on the subway and check it out."

"Then, it's time to eat again."

Synergis and Lasso Lady stood outside in the prison courtyard, walking down the outside wall, surveying the odd pattern of disintegration.

"Well, it wasn't an explosion," one of the guards said. "We didn't hear a thing. Saito was _supposed _to be on guard duty."

Another younger guard looked sheepish. "It was completely dark and there were no sounds. The alarm only went off because the wall was breached. Then the guards on ground duty the fences too."

They walked over to the inner fence and surveyed where the fences must have been before. Instead, there were two rows of piles of dust running parallel to each other.

"I would assume that whoever did it hid in the woods, watching for the right moment, then came out, did the deed, and ran back through the same way and escaped through the woods," Synergis said as she crouched down and gently touched a pile of ash. "Where does this lead to? And is there security footage?"

"On the other side of this wooded area is a field of solar panels, and yes, we can go in and review some security footage. On first glance, there wasn't much to see."

They walked back to the fencing, and Synergis examined the area more closely. "There's nothing on the ground to suggest it was acid. There is some dusting that I assume may be particles from the fence." They walked through the dust and back through the courtyard. "Only one prisoner is missing?"

"Yes, and it was a prisoner that you two captured a few years ago."

"Who was it?"

"Akanari Gima. We was taken in for human trafficking. He'd been kidnapping individuals with strong quirks and-"

"Somehow when they turned back up their quirks were gone," Synergis finished his sentence. "They had no recollection of what happened to their quirks, or why they were missing."

"He never told us where they went or what they were used for. He was serving a life sentence."

They continued to walk back toward the walls.

"Any idea who may have been coming for him?" Lasso Lady asked.

"Definitely not a blast," Synergis said aloud as she looked at the pattern. "It almost looks like it's _decayed_…" She froze, her hand on the stone where it looked like it had simply turned to ash and floated away in the breeze. She'd seen this pattern before, but it had been so long…

"Are you OK, Synergis?" Lasso Lady asked.

"Yea, yea," she said. "I'm fine. Did you say you had security footage?"

* * *

_The brown-haired girl sat on the ledge right inside her front door, trying her best to tie her oxford shoes. Her little white socks were pulled up tight right below her knees, her navy skirt swishing against her legs. It was the first day of kindergarten, and she wanted to tie her own shoes._

_ "Yuri," her mother said, looking down at her warmly. "Do you need help?"_

_ "No," she said. "I'm almost done." And she was. It wasn't the best bow, but it was tied tight. So tight, they may have to use scissors to get them undone later. But at least they wouldn't come undone at school. _

_ "Here's your bag. Come on, it's time to go." Her mother helped her put on her backpack and handed her a bento box. They opened the door and walked out of the apartment into the sunny morning. They stopped at the corner. "Let's wait here, Shimura and Tenko wanted to walk with us."_

_ She looked down at her shoes, at the knots she'd tied. The last time she'd seen Tenko, she'd pushed him down in the sandbox and told him she didn't want to be his friend anymore. At the time she didn't understand the complex emotions, but she knew she was not happy that he'd given a flower to another girl. His face had crumbled as he'd looked up at her from where he sat in the sand. He'd picked himself up and ran home crying after that. She wasn't proud, and she didn't like that he was crying, especially not since it was her fault. She heard footsteps approaching but didn't look up._

_ "Good morning, Yuri!" Tenko's mother said warmly. "Are you ready for your first day?"_

_ She nodded but didn't look up. _

_ "Well, let's get going you two lazy bones," her own mother said, and turned her before giving her a little push. She chanced a look under her eyelashes at Tenko. His mouth was a straight line. Though, he looked very cute in his little navy pants and navy sports jacket over a white button up. His shaggy blue hair looked messy, as always. They began walking in silence, side by side, their mothers following behind and chatting happily, oblivious to the moods of their five-year olds._

_ "Are you still mad at me?" Tenko asked quietly. _

_ "No," she said. "Are you still mad at me?"_

_ "No." They walked quietly again. "Why were you mad at me again?"_

_ Yuri walked quietly, ashamed and unsure of how to say what she meant. _

_ "I didn't like that you gave Otome a flower. I felt like you were ignoring me."_

_ "Yuri," he said and reached out to grab her hand. "I like you the most. You're the best girl. You're my favorite."_

_ She felt her cheeks burn and had the sudden urge to push him down again._

_ "Will you still be my friend?" he asked her._

_ She took his hand that he was offering. "Let's run to the next stop!"_

* * *

She brushed her hair, combing the thick, brown tresses into a ponytail at the top of her head. She pulled the white tank top over her head and pulled her khaki shorts up. Her socks had little puppies on the toes and she wiggled them, smiling at the little faces. They were the only non-utilitarian part of her hero costume. They would be covered up by her thigh high boots. She pulled on her brown duster, looking at herself in the mirror one last time. She swiped on a little mascara, a tinge of mousse blush, and a dab of pink lip balm. She pulled the hood up and gave a spin. She loved the way the duster moved around her. She slid her cell phone into her back pocket before walking to her entry way and stepping into her boots, sliding the zipper up to her thigh.

It had been a few days since the prison break, and she'd gotten some intel – meaning, she'd resorted to snooping around herself and had found some suspicious individuals and followed them back to an equally suspicious building. This evening, she was planning to infiltrate. Really, more like just going to open the door and let herself in.

She closed the door behind her and began walking. The security footage wasn't too telling. It just showed a darkened, hooded figure making its way through the courtyard. But she could see the technique – the figure simply grabbed the fence and it began to disintegrate. Same with the wall. And the way they moved – it was certainly reminiscent of someone she once knew from many years ago.

A few more turns, and she was lost in her thoughts. The walk seemed much shorter than when she was following someone, trying to blend into the shadows.

She stood in front of the door, contemplating how to go about things. The outside looked like a typical bar, nothing conspicuous about it. The windows were blacked out, making it impossible to look inside. Apart from wondering if this was even the right address, would he even be there? And surely it wasn't as easy as knocking to get someone to open the door. Even if she got inside, there was no guarantee she would even live long enough to see him. _Tomura Shigaraki_. How had he come upon that name?

Before she could overthink anything else, she simply tried turning the doorknob. Unsurprisingly, it didn't turn. It would have been too easy to walk in that way, she gathered. She knocked three times and waited patiently. After about 30 seconds she sighed, her shoulders drooping. She reached into her ponytail and pulled out a hairpin. She looked up and down the sidewalk before dropping to her knees and inserting the pin into the key hole. A quarter turn to the right, and she pulled out another bobby pin, straightening it. She inserted the second pin into the keyhole and began to wiggle.

Suddenly, the door opened and a tall man appeared. The man's skin was a patchwork of darkened and pale areas. His dark hair sat spikey on the top of his head. He did not look amused.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

Yuri stood up from her place on the ground. "Yes, actually, I'm here to see someone." Here it comes. The big gamble. "Do you know a Tomura Shigaraki?"

The man scoffed. "Tomura Shigaraki? Isn't that the leader of the League of Villains?" The man seemed to be studying her face closely now, though she hoped not too closely. "What would you want with him?"

"Well, I guess you can say he's an old friend. I'm just coming by for a visit."

"Why would you think he was here?"

She shrugged awkwardly.

"Who's at the door?" Yuri heard a voice from behind the man. Footsteps approached and a young girl appeared behind him. "Oh, wow," the girl said, her hands going to her chin. "Who is this pretty lady? Dabi, have you invited her in? I would like to get to know her." The girl twirled a lock of her blonde hair and her golden eyes turned to stars. Yuri could see her sharp incisors when she smiled.

"She's looking for someone."

"Maybe we can help her find them." The girl reached out and grabbed Yuri's wrist, pulling her inside and slamming the door behind them. She was pulled into a dimly lit room with a bar. The girl finally let her wrist go and she danced behind the bar. "Would you like a drink?" Before Yuri could answer, the girl began mixing a concoction of some sort. A dash of this, some of that, and a pour from several unlabeled bottles. A few drops on the top caused a cloud to drift from the top of the glass. "I'm an expert mixologist. Give this a try." The girl slid the drink across the bar to Yuri before resting her chin on her elbows on the bar.

"Himiko," the man said as he reached out and grabbed the glass, putting his hand over the top. "We can't just invite people into a place of business when it's not even business hours yet."

"She's not a customer, Dabi! She's my new friend. I want to visit with her! I want to know her more."

"Do I know you from somewhere? You seem familiar." He was watching her face carefully, as if trying to place her from somewhere. She tried her best to meet his gaze, trying to focus on his icy blue eyes, and ignoring the crude sutures that seemed to be holding his skin together.

"I guess I just have a familiar face. I can't say I recall you from anywhere," Yuri hoped they hadn't studied the hero registry too closely.

The man seemed to shrug, as if giving up trying to place her. "I know what you want, Toga. Let's go ahead and get this over with. I'll let you have your fun." Yuri watched as the girl produced a large needle from behind the bar.

"Right away! I want to be pretty like you!" She lunged across the bar, knocking several glasses and bottles over in the process. Yuri jumped back from her, but the girl had quickly scaled the bar and was readying herself to jump onto Yuri. She wasn't sure exactly what the girl was planning with that needle, but Yuri was hoping she wouldn't find out.

The girl swung the needle and Yuri ducked, rolling behind the bar. She grabbed a wine bottle and broke it, holding the neck to use as a weapon.

"We were saving that for a special occasion," the man said from across the room. He seemed bored from his tone of voice, as if this were an everyday occurrence.

"How about a funeral?" Yuri asked.

"She's funny, too! I can't wait for us to be best friends!" The girl lunged across the bar again, clearly not afraid of Yuri's makeshift weapon.

Yuri looked from one villain to the other. She wasn't ready to expose her quirk just yet, hoping to keep the element of surprise on her side. She was also concerned about the amount of damage she would do to the surrounding buildings and any innocent bystanders.

"What is all this noise down here?" A voice called from an opening to Yuri's left. The girl froze. She heard what sounded like footsteps coming down stairs. A man appeared in the shadowed doorway. The figure was tall and lean, shoulders broader than Yuri thought they should be. He stepped out from the shadows and the light caught his blue hair. His arms crossed his black v neck t shirt. Yuri felt the blood leave her face when she saw a disembodied hand over his face. His red eyes peered through the fingers of the hand, taking in the scene. The younger girl didn't even turn around, and was instead staring at Yuri, a smile on her face.

"This woman showed up looking for you," the man – Dabi – said from where he was propped against a wall, looking bored.

"I just wanted to play with her a little bit. She's so pretty! I wanted her to be my friend!"

The man looked directly at her then. She felt surprisingly afraid at being the focus of his attention.

"Yuri," he said, his tone even and devoid of emotion, despite recognition. The girl stopped smiling then.

"So, you do know her?" The patchwork man said.

"Leave us." The burnt man stood from where he'd been leaning against the wall and began to walk out of the doorway the blue haired man was standing in. The girl picked herself up from the bar and followed behind, stopping one last time to smile and wink at Yuri on her way out.

When they were alone, the man reached up to the hand on his face and gingerly removed it, setting it gently on the bar. Yuri could see his whole face then. The tired eyes, the scars, his mouth a thin line. She took a step toward him before she could stop himself.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his eyes studying the hand on the counter, purposefully avoiding her gaze.

"I can ask you the same thing." She straightened her shoulders, holding herself back from trying to rush over to him.

"We haven't seen each other in eight years. I'm sure you didn't go through all the trouble of finding me for a quick catch up. So, why are you here?"

He seemed so different, yet she knew he was one and the same – the same boy she'd known for practically her whole life. The same boy she'd held hands with on the first day of kindergarten. The same boy she'd seen for the last time on their last day of school before she went away to hero academy. What had happened to him?

"I saw what you did at the prison. I figured it was you, with the way the wall was disintegrated."

He shrugged his shoulders at her as if to say, _so, what?_

"I want to tell you to stop what you're doing."

He cut his eyes at her then, taking in the look of her. She was wearing her hero costume: her hair pulled up into a high ponytail, short, khaki shorts, a white tank top, thigh high brown boots, and a long, brown duster jacket. A bright red bandana was wrapped around her neck. "So, things with the hero agency are going well, I presume, _Synergis,_" he said her hero name like it was a curse. "I didn't realize you were here on business. What am I supposed to do now? I can't let you leave, knowing a hero knows where to find me."

A red heat flew up her neck and chest, coloring her skin. "This isn't just _business_. I know this isn't you, Tenko. Why don't you just stop before you get any deeper?" She gritted her teeth, trying her best to reel in her emotions. She lowered her voice, attempted to be gentle. "Right now the charges would only be assisting with escape. If you force the criminals back to jail and lay low, maybe it will blow over."

"Now, that doesn't sound like _you_, Yuri. _Lay low and it will blow over_? What sort of hero talk is that?" His voice was dripping with acid. "And you're wrong. This is me. The name's Tomura Shigaraki now. I'm not that weak loser from high school anymore. You just don't know me. You never have."

She felt her shoulders slump. Maybe she was wrong to come there. Maybe he wasn't the same person. "I never thought you were a weak loser. I was so hurt when I found out about Hiroto…"

"He deserved it."

"I meant, what he did to you, what they were planning to do. I'm sorry that happened to you. I feel like I was somewhat responsible. But what happened to you afterwards?" She looked at him earnestly.

He just stared at her, his stance suddenly no longer tense and closed off, but more awkward, as if he hadn't expected the turn of the conversation. He shrugged. "You don't have to apologize. I never thought it was your fault." Her questions hung in the air, unanswered.

They stared at each other for several beats, neither of them moving or saying anything.

"Well, I see we are at an impasse. I'll just let myself out. I hope I don't have to see you again. Right now, I don't have any evidence against you." She walked from behind the bar, making her way to the door. There was nothing more she could do for him.

"You're a shit liar. You know it was me."

"Should I consider that a confession?" She turned back toward him.

"Do you think you could take me in yourself?" He challenged her.

She studied him closely. He was a grown man now, but she still saw the same friend she'd known since she could remember. The small, shy boy with the mop of blue hair. She used to pinch his cheeks when they were younger. It made him mad, but she liked to irritate him back then. "If I see you about to harm someone, or think you will, I will take you in. That's your last warning." She turned from him and started toward the door.

His cool hand gripped her upper arm gently, his pinky hovering inches above her skin.

"Don't come back here. Stay far away from the League. Change assignments, if you can. In fact, maybe you should change professions." His voice was low in her ear, his body unnervingly close.

"Is that a threat?"

"You're getting into something you don't need to be involved in. You should be the one laying low for a while. Forget that you even saw me."

She snatched her arm from his grasp. "I'm watching you."

"You won't like what you see," he said, his hands raised in surrender. She put her hand on the doorknob. "And, Yuri. If you see Himiko Toga again, run."


	2. Chapter 2

Yuri sighed loudly and leaned back in her seat at her desk. She's been doing a computer search, trying to learn everything she could about the League of Villains and Tomura Shigaraki's rise to the leadership position. She hadn't turned up much information. They were still largely underground and unorganized, and very poorly funded, she was willing to bet. She wasn't sure what to think of him in a leader role, but then again, a lot seemed to have changed.

Tenko Shimura – her kind, gentle, smart friend – was nearly the opposite of what she'd seen of Tomura Shigaraki. Cold, callous, and threatening; she hadn't seen much of her old friend in him. There was a moment though, when she'd softened and apologized, he seemed to have shifted a bit, like he was still there beneath the surface.

There was a knock at her office door and Natsuko walked in. The door was always open, after all. "What's for lunch today?" she asked as she took a seat in one of the chairs across the desk.

"I haven't thought much about it," Yuri said. "I've been doing some research on this League of Villains organization."

"Hmmm," she said. "I haven't heard much so far. I'm sure if they're really serious we'll start seeing them crop up."

"I guess it's just that this will probably be the first big group that's come along since we've gotten up and running."

"We'll see if we're really something," Natsuko said with a shrug. "Only one way to find out for sure if The Lunachicks are ready."

The Lunachicks were a group of female heroes founded and led by Synergis and Lasso Lady. They'd only banded together six months ago, but they were a force to be reckoned with. Yuri didn't hope to put anyone out of business, but she was hoping to show the men the female heroes were just as valuable. Tangoing with the League of Villains was definitely risky but would mean a big payoff for their names.

"Well, I guess there's not much else to do about it now, other than staying battle ready." Yuri opened her desk drawer, pulling out a small coin purse and her cell phone. "Did you have a preference for lunch?"

* * *

Tomura turned off the news stations, wringing his hands down his face and scratching at his neck. The hero killer, Stain, was completely dominating the newscasts, making him agitated. Sure, his little project, the League of Villains, was barely more than a simple start up, but when would they start getting the attention and news coverage they deserved? He wanted the public to be aware of them, to be _afraid _of them. He wanted to destroy their perfect little idea of a safe and quiet world.

"Would you like a drink, Shigaraki?" Kurogiri asked from behind the bar as he polished a wineglass.

Tomura snatched a deck of cards off the counter and began shuffling them between his hands in a fluid motion, delicately avoiding touching all of his fingers at once. "I don't know, I'm just in the worst mood." Truth was, since he'd seen Yuri he had been more wound up and aggravated than he'd been in a long time.

Yes, everything had been going fine until she showed up in the bar the other day. He'd been watching the U.A. Sports Festival, mapping a plan out in his mind, trying his best to lay out what the next step was. He had been cooking up what was coming next when he'd heard glass breaking and a scuffle down stairs, when he went to investigate and found _her._

All those high school feelings came back.

A fluttering had started in his chest.

How was he supposed to destroy a world with her in it?

He'd done his absolute best to forget she existed, to imagine she was just a figment of his imagination.

And it had worked for years.

Until then.

_What a pleasant surprisseeee. _A snake of black smoke slithered through his mind, dripping with malice and darkness. The voice inside his head had perked up when it saw her, imagining the ways she could be used for his goals. How could she be manipulated? How could she be used up and turned out, completely squandered for his cause, then left like a dried out husk once she had been drained of everything useful?

_No,_ he'd responded sternly to the voice. _She is not for you._

The smoke had shrugged, if that were possible. _She would make a scrumptiousss villain, an asset._

_ She would never consent to that._

_ She could be usssed for other thingsss, _it had hissed back. _Consssent or not._

His vision had gone nearly red as he scratched at his eyes, trying to rid his mind of the thoughts. It was only ever interested in how useful a person could be, whether it was through agreement or force.

"Things are going well with the villains that Giran has helped to secure," Kurogiri said, snapping Tomura from his thoughts.

"The plans for next week are practically finished," Tomura responded as she stacked some cards, forming the base of a card castle.

"If everything goes as planned it will be a major win for the League."

"And a major disappointment for All Might and U.A."

* * *

_He watched as the cheerleaders warmed up for the pep rally. He always sat in the same place in the bleachers: very top, and to the left. His black hoodie was pulled up over his head. He wasn't watching all of the cheerleaders, but one in particular. He watched as she grabbed her ponytail, splitting it in two and pulling it tight against her head. She did that in class a lot too when her holder would start to slip down. _

_ He'd heard a lot of girls complain about the cheerleader outfits and how they were so contrary to the established dress code, but he didn't care. He liked the way her lean legs looked in the tiny skirt, and how when she did her cheerleading stunts her top would come up just slightly, revealing a thin line of the fair, smooth skin of her stomach. _

_ "Yo, Shimura," a voice called. He turned his head to look at the young man approaching. Jin, his friend for several years, an outsider like him, was walking toward him, his skateboard under his arm. "What's up?"_

_ "Just watching these fools getting ready," Tenko Shimura leaned back against the seat behind him. "Glad to be out of class for this, though."_

_ "For sure," Jin said. He looked down at the gym floor, where Shimura was looking. "You heard about Yuri?"_

_ Shimura didn't answer him._

_ "I'm guessing that's a yes." Jin plopped down on the bleacher next to him. "She really is the total package. Smart, popular, pretty and nice. And now she's going to be a hero. I guess I can't think of anyone that would be better."_

_ Shimura shrugged._

_ "I think you should tell her how you feel. You never know what she might say."_

_ "Yea, right. There's no way she would go for a guy like me. She's definitely on to better things. Plus, it would just make things awkward between us. We've been friends for too long."_

_ "Maybe I could just pry a little bit, see what she's thinking."_

_ "Don't." Jin's quirk, mind read, could tell them what someone was thinking, but Shimura was almost afraid of what he might learn. He'd rather just leave things unknown._

_ "Well, I couldn't today anyway," Jin said, sighing and stretching his arms over his head. "I was listening in to Sayako during the test this morning and I used up all my time." His quirk was useful, but he could only use it for a limited amount of time during a 24-hour period. The individual also had to be thinking exactly what he wanted to know at that moment or he would just get useless information. _

_ Shimura watched Yuri stretch and laugh with the other cheerleaders. He would have liked nothing more than to tell her what he was thinking, but the rejection was too real. They were complete opposites, after all. She was a gorgeous, popular cheerleader, and he was the creepy loner. She had always way been that for him: unattainable. They had known each other for a long time, since they were little kids. Even back then, he knew she was something else; out of his league. They used to play together at the same playground when they were younger. She had been there when he had needed someone the most…_

_ He rose suddenly from his seat in the stands and walked down the stairs as Yuri began to walk off the court. He appeared in front of her quickly, but she didn't even startle._

_ "Oh, hi, Tenko," she said with a small smile._

_ "Yuri," he replied. "I heard you were accepted into Hero Academy."_

_ "Yes! I'm very excited. I'll be starting next school year."_

_ "So that's something you really want to do? I mean, become a hero?"_

_ "Well, yea. I've wanted that ever since I was little. Ever since…" She trailed off and studied his face. He knew she was lingering over his scars, the one down his right eye and the left side of his lips. _

_ "You don't have to do it, you know."_

_ "I know, but it's what I want to do. I want to help people." Her face was so earnest, so pure. Her large lavender eyes stared back at him. She always seemed to have an easy smile on her face when they spoke. It was contagious, and he found himself smiling back at her. _

_ A large young man walked up then. He was at least six feet tall, and over 200 pounds. His football jersey was tucked neatly into a pair of khaki pants. The boy put his arm over Yuri's shoulders. The smile disappeared. _

_ "I didn't know they were letting freaks come to the pep rally," the boy said._

_ "Well, it is a free country," Shimura replied._

_ "Shut up, Hiroto," Yuri said as she halfheartedly pushed him away from her shoulders. _

_ The boy laughed at her before moving his arm over Shimura's shoulders. He rubbed his knuckles against the top of Shimura's head, messing up his blue hair. "I'm just messing around with the twerp, Yuri. I know you've got a thing for him. I wouldn't hurt him too much." A bright red blush broke out over her cheeks. "But just know, you could never score with a girl like her. Remember that, fucking nerd." Hiroto let go of him abruptly, pushing Shimura into the wall. His face collided with the cinderblock wall, and he turned around with blood running from his mouth, his lip split. _

_ Yuri gasped and brought her hand to her mouth. She stepped closer to him, to get a good look._

_ "Tenko," she said. "Are you alright?" He brought the sleeve of his hoodie up to his mouth, wiping at the blood. _

_ "I'm fine," he said. "It's nothing."_

_ A whistle blew in the gym, signaling for all the cheerleaders and players to report to their positions for the pep rally._

_ "Time to get started, Yuri," Hiroto said and grabbed her arm. "See you later, loser." Shimura watched as she was drug away from him, back to rejoin the other cheerleaders, where she belonged. He didn't stay to watch the pep rally, and instead turned and walked out of the gym._

* * *

_Tenko ran around the track, his sneakers pounding the pavement. He often felt like the only place he belonged was on the racetrack. There, he was the fastest, the best of his class, of all the classes. The music blared in his headphones, effectively drowning out the world around him. It really was just him and the track, and his thoughts. His tongue played over the split in his lip, where Hiroto had pushed him into the wall the day before. He was embarrassed it had happened in front of Yuri. It was no surprise to anyone that he was no match for the huge football player. The guy used his size to bully other people all the time. Tenko clenched and unclenched his fists. No, the only way Tenko could take him down a peg would be to use his quirk, but that would be a turn he couldn't come back from. _

_ As he rounded the track, he could see Hiroto coming down the walkway with two of his friends. He continued running around the track, bringing him closer to the group. The three boys stepped onto the track, blocking his way. Tenko brought his hands up to his earphones, removing them and resting them around his neck._

_ "What's up, freak?" Hiroto said._

_ "Get out of my way, Hiroto," Tenko replied._

_ "You're so disrespectful. I just wanted to come and have a nice chat with you, nothing else."_

_ "What do you want?"_

_ "I want you to never talk to Yuri again."_

_ "Why would I agree to that?"_

_ "Because we are going to beat the shit out of you until you agree." The three of them closed in around him. The two guys with Hiroto picked Tenko up under his arms like he weighed nothing, carrying him off the track and behind the field house. They slammed his back against the side of the house, knocking the wind out of him. Hiroto grabbed his chin, forcing his face up to look at him. "I don't like the way you look at Yuri, you fucking creep. I know you get your jollies from seeing her in her cheerleading skirt."_

_ "We're just friends," Tenko managed to spit out when he'd caught his breath._

_ "I don't believe you, but I think I know how I can make myself feel better. I want you to think of Yuri, remember how she looked yesterday while you were looking at her. I'm sure you were imagining her naked. And while you're thinking of that, we're going to give you the beat down of your life." Hiroto gave him a quick sucker punch to the gut. Tenko went to his knees. All of them began kicking him then. Tenko had no other choice than to lay on the ground as he received kicks to his back, stomach, and chest. A quick kick to his head had him seeing stars. He knew he would pass out soon. _

_ Yuri came to mind then. The look on her face when she saw the blood drip from his mouth in the gym. A moment a few years previous when they'd sat together on the bullet train, sharing earphones to listen to a funny song. The first memory he had of them playing together at the playground by their house. She'd pushed him down in the sandbox. They'd walked together the first day of primary school…_

_ Him lying in an alleyway by their neighborhood in the darkness, tears streaming down his face, motionless to do anything. He was only five years old. So many adults passing by, none stopping to help._

_ "Oh, look at that little boy. Should we do something?"_

_ "No, let a hero take care of it."_

_ The pitter patter of her tiny feet running up to him, soothing him. _

_ He prayed she didn't run up to him now. _

_ His vision was going black. Could he be dying? His whole body was a ball of hurt as the three boys continued their assault. _

_ Would that be his legacy? Killed by the football playing boyfriend of the girl he was in love with? Murdered by him and his two athletic goons behind the field house? What would she say? Would she cry at his funeral?_

_ He couldn't make her cry. _

_ He reached out as another of Hiroto's kicks was descending on his head. That would have been the finisher, he was sure. Instead, he grabbed his cleat, planting all five fingers firmly on the fabric. Tenko watched from one eye, his other already swollen shut, as the shoe began to turn to dust, particles floating into the air. The shoe disappeared quickly and the decay spread to Hiroto's exposed foot, the skin flaking away first, giving way to muscle and eventually bone. The disintegration continued further up, to his ankle and calf. Hiroto fell backwards, a scream of fear and pain escaping him. _

_ "Make it stop! Make it stop!" He screamed. It was the last words Tenko heard before the world went black._

* * *

Tenko sat at the bar, a photograph in his hand. It was a picture of him and Yuri on their first day of high school. They must have been 14 years old. Yuri had a huge grin on her face, her arm slung over his shoulder. He looked calm, his blue hair messy as always on top of his head. An amused smile played on his lips as he looked at her out of the corners of his eyes. His fingers caressed the smooth photo, as did often, careful that all his fingers never came into contact at once. It was a photo that he'd held on to for a ridiculous amount of years, so long the edges had softened and started to curl up. Time wasted pining after a girl he hadn't seen in ages. Until she'd come through the door a few days prior.

_We can have her now,_ the voice inside his thoughts hissed. _She can be oursss. She is weak. Let her fall prey to usss. Play the role of Tenko and when the time is right, Tomura will emerge. _He shook his head, pushing the creature back into the box inside his mind.

She looked the same, though maybe a little taller and more shapely. His heart had skipped a beat when he saw her in her tight shorts and low cut tank top. Her soft brown hair was pulled up on top of her head, like always. Her lavender eyes had cut through the room, not missing a single detail. She was afraid when she saw the hand over his face. A hand had squeezed his heart then. Her eyes softened when they fell on his face, after he removed the hand.

The door opened and closed and his eyes fell on her again.

"I thought I told you not to come back here," he said, his eyes narrowed. It was dark outside, but every time she came by was a chance she could be spotted. It was bad for him, to have too much activity, and bad for her, should someone see her coming and going too often. "You don't want people to start thinking you've flipped sides, do you?"

She walked over to him. She was wearing dark pants and a blouse now, a light jacket over the top. "Feeling nostalgic?" she asked as she saw the photo in his hands.

_Yesss, she's come back to usss, _the lid of the box was cracked ever so slightly, the voice approving of her return.

"Just remembering, I guess." He slid the photo into his back pocket. "Not in your hero costume this time?"

"I'm not on hero business," she said. She leaned against the bar. She gave him a sly smile.

"Am I going to have to move the headquarters now? I can't be having heroes knowing where we set up shop."

"I thought this was a bar. You aren't going to make me a drink?"

His eyes narrowed at her. "I'm just not much of a bartender, I guess."

She shook her hair back, exposing her neck and collarbones. His eyes lingered a bit too long as she stepped closer to him. She reached out and touched the side of his face. "Oh, boo. I thought we might have something to loosen you up."

"Loosen me up?"

"Yea, you seemed really tense the other day. Even now, you seem like your body's in knots." She moved behind him, her hand trailing down to his shoulder. He tried to turn on the bar stool he was sitting. She forced him to turn back around. Her hand went to his other shoulder and she began to massage, squeezing the muscles of his neck and shoulders. "Just relax. You're under a lot of stress."

"I don't like for people to be behind me," he said, his hand going up to hers, still trying to turn around.

"Don't you trust me?" she asked.

"I don't trust anyone."

Her hand went under his arm and she pulled him close, his back to her chest. She rested her chin on his shoulder. "You can trust me. We've always been friends, haven't we?" she whispered in his ear and he shivered. "Maybe more?"

She spun him around on the bar stool, turning him to face her. Both of her hands went to his upper thighs, squeezing his legs open. She moved between them. Her hands went up to his chest, and she moved her lips inches from his. "You can touch me. I'm not afraid."

_Touch her. Hold her. Grab her. Wrap your hands around that pretty neck._

He tentatively touched her arm. His hand went to her soft neck, careful with his fingers that she may turn to dust. Her skin was warm and smooth, just as he remembered from when he used to steal touches of her, and when he'd grabbed her arm the other day.

"I've always wanted you," she whispered, her eyes half lidded. "Haven't you felt the same way?"

"Y-yes," he stammered. He caressed the skin of her collarbone, reveling in the feeling of her under his fingertips. "Is this a dream?"

_Not a dream, take what can be oursss. _

"Leave with me. We can start over, somewhere else. We'll leave all this behind us. No one will know who we are."

_We won't leave, no. But we can make her stay here with usss forever._

He stared deep into her eyes. It was what he'd wanted to hear for years. He'd imagined what kind of a life they could have, if she would reciprocate his feelings. He'd always been too scared to make the first move when they were younger, thinking there was no way a girl like her could have feelings for a guy like him. After she'd moved to the hero academy and he'd been pulled in a different direction, he really had given up on her. He'd always thought about her and still held her photo close, but he'd resigned to the fact that she was just a ghost. He'd never felt anything like he had for her.

"Please, I know you have a lot to lose here, but they can find someone else. I want you. I need you to be with me."

He cupped the side of her face, his thumb tracing the corner of her mouth, as he'd thought about doing so many times before.

_Keep her here. Enslave her. _He shivered involuntarily at the thought.

"Please," she said again, her lavender eyes pleading. Yes, the league could find someone else, he thought, and the monster in his mind bristled. He would pack his things immediately, and they could leave without a trace in less than an hour. "Tomura."

He stilled completely then. He felt his posture change, his expression going from calm to hard lines. He moved his hand from her face to her shoulder, studying her closely. _Tomura._

"Did I say something wrong?" she asked.

He pushed her back, and she stumbled but caught herself. His hands went to his face, as if he could wipe his disappointment away.

"You almost had me," he said, his breathing coming back to him in waves. The name. He hadn't heard his own name, his first name, in so long. It was like music when it fell from her mouth the other day. _Tenko. _He committed it to memory, the way she would say it.

"What gave it away?"

"None of your fucking business." He stood and walked toward her. "Get rid of it. Now. Toga."

"Not yet, you'll hit me." She was right. He would probably do more than hit her, honestly, but he couldn't raise a hand toward her looking like Yuri. He grabbed her shoulders tight, squeezing. She smiled at him, her sharp incisors beginning to show.

"I was just trying something new."

"How did you get her blood?"

"I followed her to her apartment the other night. Last night I waited for her outside and when she came by, I just grabbed her." Her face was beginning to change, morphing into someone else. His hand shot out at her, grabbing her throat. His pinky finger lingered above her skin.

"Where is she now?"

"I dunno," she said as the skin began to slide off. He pulled his hand back in disgust. "I didn't get much. I let her go afterward."

"_Let her go?_"

"Ok, so maybe I ran away. She wanted to fight. I can't keep up with her." Himiko Toga stood nude before him as the Yuri façade fell away.

"Where is her apartment?"


	3. Chapter 3

_There was a brisk knock at the door to the apartment. Yuri jumped up from the chair she had been sitting in, the ribbon in her ponytail flying behind her. She hurried to the door as fast as her short legs could carry her. She grabbed the doorknob between her two tiny hands and twisted as best as she could. _

_ The door opened to reveal her blue haired friend, a wide smile plastered across his round face. His crimson eyes were wild with excitement. She saw his mother walking up behind him._

_ "Mama!" she called back into the apartment. "Tenko's here!"_

_ Her mother appeared behind her and grabbed her purse. "Well, let's go then, you two."_

_ They ran to the small park beside their apartment building their mothers chatting and walking beside them. They jumped into the sandbox unceremoniously._

_ "Look, Tenko!" Yuri said as she held her hand out over the sand. The earth began to bubble up, a small mountain of sand and dirt becoming more and more pronounced. She had a look of tense concentration on her face; her skin was beginning to turn a bright red color. A few drops of sweat seemed to be forming on the bridge of her nose. The mound grew bigger and bigger, until it was as tall as they were. At that point, her hand dropped and she let out a huge breath she'd been holding in. She fell back onto her bottom, huffing and puffing._

_ "Wow! That's amazing, Yuri!" he exclaimed with a big smile. He pushed a lock of hair back from his forehead. "When did you learn to do that?"_

_ "Just a few days ago. I always feel so tired afterward."_

_ "That's so cool! I wonder when I'll get my quirk. I hope it's something really fun like flying."_

_ "I like it a lot. We can have a lot of fun with it. What if I can make a whole mountain!? And we can climb all the way to the top together!" She fell back into the sand, her arms and legs splayed out like she might make a sand-angel. Tenko fell back beside her, his arms and legs extended the same way._

_ "So much fun! Can you make it go back down?"_

_ She sat up then. "I haven't tried that yet." She extended her hand back out toward the dirt pile. The same strained look came across her face and he watched as the mound began to crumble in on itself, the earth turning up at the center and falling back in, like a sinkhole. It began to shrink down to nothing, then as a final move, Yuri fanned her hand and a blanket of sand covered over the earth, as if nothing had ever happened. _

_ Tenko looked at his friend, a look of glee on his face. "You're so cool, Yuri!" _

_ "I'm really tired now," she said, her eyelids looking heavy. She laid back down in the sand and turned onto her side toward him, her arm going under her head. She yawned loudly before closing her eyes. A soft snore escaped her throat. Her hand stretched out toward his, their fingertips gently touching._

_ "Yuri?" Tenko said and tentatively touched her shoulder. "Yuri!" He became more concerned when she didn't answer. He looked back at their mothers and saw them slowly walking toward them. _

_ "Don't worry, Tenko," Yuri's mother said. "Her quirk is so new. She gets so worn out anytime she uses it." She scooped the small child into her arms. "It will get better with practice. But I should probably take her home for the day. She's been needing a nap after she uses her quirk."_

* * *

He was thoroughly irritated. Irritated, because Toga had attacked Yuri. Irritated, because she had been able to trick him. Irritated, because of his stirred emotions. He should have known it was too good to be true. He'd been too hopeful, and too eager to believe. He'd spent all of his teenage years hungering for her, even after she'd left to go to the hero academy. They'd both changed and lived separate lives, but he'd always kept her picture in his back pocket.

And now he was on his way to her apartment. He felt somewhat responsible for her injury, and he also needed to see for himself that she was alright. Toga could be violent, and sometimes she took more blood than was necessary.

The creature inside his mind was thoroughly pleased at having her address, and even more pleased thinking about Yuri's blood. It had rejoiced at the chance to find where she lived, where she felt most comfortable and at ease, where she'd never suspect any trouble to come her way…

He shoved the monster down inside the box, compartmentalizing the thoughts.

It was dark outside, though not too late. Even with the darkness he had his hoodie pulled up around his face, careful not to be noticed. He turned into the front of the apartment complex, following the directions he'd been given. The elevator _dinged _as the doors opened onto her floor. He walked down the balcony, counting off the numbers as he went. He turned and knocked on the door.

He waited.

There were no sounds from inside the apartment.

He knocked again. He looked up and down the doors, rechecking the numbers.

Still nothing.

He pounded his fist against the door. "Yuri!"

Maybe she was out? It wasn't too late. He tried the doorknob. Locked. He thought about disintegrating the doorknob, but how would she keep her door locked afterwards? He was about to try picking the lock when he heard footsteps and laughter approaching. He turned his head and saw her walking up, a man walking beside her. His eyesight went red. He wanted to wrap his hands around the man's throat, squeezing and turning him to dust.

"Watch out," the man said, as he grabbed Yuri's wrist and pulled her back. Tomura was sure he was an intimidating figure in the dark, with his black hoodie pulled up high and his dark pants. He realized the light was behind him, casting further shadow on his face. "Do you know this guy?"

Yuri seemed taken aback for a moment too, surprised at seeing him mixed with confusion. "Yes, actually. It's fine." She looked up at the mystery man. "I'll see you sometime?"

"Yea, that would be nice. You're sure you're alright?" The man eyed him up and down, sizing him up.

"Yes, this is just an old friend of mine. We're fine. Good night!" She turned away from the man and pulled a key ring from a small bag she was carrying. Without a word to him, she stepped in front of Tomura and unlocked the door, going inside. He followed behind her, stepping over the threshold and closing the door behind him. She kicked her high heels off inside the opening.

"What are you doing here, Tenko?" she looked agitated.

"I was checking to be sure you were OK. I heard you had a run in with Himiko Toga." He pushed his hood back. He didn't bother removing his shoes. He figured he wouldn't be staying long.

"Is that who it was? I never got a good look, they were so quick. I was very confused, it all happened so quickly."

"Where did she get you?"

"Thigh." He realized she was wearing a little black dress. She lifted the hem over her left thigh and turned a bit, exposing a large bruise on the outer back aspect of her leg.

"I did not tell her to do that."

"Good to know. What exactly was she doing?"

"She can transform into a person by ingesting blood. She has to siphon it out somehow."

"So I guess that was a needle I was stabbed with. I knew it couldn't have been a knife. I hope it was clean."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "You may want to get checked out."

"That's reassuring," she said. She crossed her arms across her chest. They stood in silence for a moment. "My hospitality tells me I should ask you if you would like a drink, but I also don't want to be responsible for housing a criminal."

"Don't worry. I'm on my way out now. It would hurt my street cred if anyone found me hanging around a hero's apartment." He turned and put his hand on the doorknob.

"Well, actually, before you go, wait just a minute." Yuri turned and walked into a room off the hallway. Tenko heard her rummaging through some things. She emerged with a small tube in her hand. "Take this with you." She extended her hand.

He opened his palm and she placed the tube in his hand. "What's this?"

"It's a salve. I know how your skin gets. It looks terribly dry, and I can tell you've been scratching at it. You can apply that everywhere and it will help keep your skin hydrated. It only takes a little bit."

He frowned at her. "No one sees my face."

"I'm seeing it right now."

"Whatever you say, Yuri." There was no use arguing with her. He placed the tube in his pocket and turned to the door. "You should worry less about what I look like and focus more on your surroundings – and not letting people sneak up on you."

"I'm not sure if you're talking about yourself or Toga, but she jumped on me like a coward. I didn't know those were the kinds of people you associated with."

"We're villains, Yuri. We don't play by the rules." With a glance back at her, he opened the door and stepped back out into the night, closing the door behind him. He waited until he heard her footsteps walking to the other side of the door, heard the lock click closed, before starting back down the balcony. It wasn't long before he was able to catch up with the young man that had just left Yuri's apartment. And it wasn't much longer that he had to follow him to know exactly where his own apartment was. One never knew when such information would be valuable.

* * *

Her hand lingered on the doorknob as she leaned back against the wall. Why did she feel the urge to run after him? He'd been so close just a few minutes earlier. She'd wanted to reach out and grab his arm, to hold his hand like they used to when they were younger, before his quirk manifested and he could kill her with a single touch.

Before she realized the difference between boys and girls.

He was definitely a man now, and she would have to rearrange her thinking around that. He stood a full head taller than her, his shoulders broader, his face more angular. He'd been chubby and cute when they were children. Sure, he'd gone through an awkward phase when they were young teenagers – she'd gone through one herself, - but he was still her favorite person, with his messy mop of hair and dark clothes. Maybe she had looked at him a little too long when she saw him at track meets, when the sweat was dripping down his neck and his running shorts showed off the lean muscles of his legs.

What 15 year old girl's hormones wouldn't be raging at that?

She wondered what his legs looked like now.

* * *

_ He wasn't sure what was going on. He had been drifting in and out of consciousness for hours, days, weeks – he wasn't really sure of the time. People would come and go, passing by in the white, sterile light. Sometimes it was a nurse or doctor, sometimes it was someone from his neighborhood coming to check on him. His aunt snored gently in the chair by his bed; she rarely left, or not that he noticed. _

_ He was aware of the gloves covering his hands. He couldn't remember how he'd gotten there, but he knew it wasn't good news. _

_ "His whole family?" he'd heard a nurse whispering to the doctor as he drifted in and out of consciousness again. _

_ "Unfortunately, yes," was the response. "It was a mutation with his quirk. Apparently, it manifested so suddenly, he was unable to control it."_

_ "But to go through his whole family – how were they unable to stop him?"_

_ "We're still unclear on exactly how it happened, and he seems to be too shocked to communicate with us right now. He's going to need deep therapy for many years. Maybe he'll be able to form some semblance of a normal life."_

_ People came and went. His aunt wiped a cool washcloth over his face. She held a spoon to his lips, trying to coax him into eating._

_ "Tenko," a soft, sweet voice said to him one day. He felt warm fingers on his arm, petting gently. He wanted to see her. He tried to crack his eyelids at her. She appeared in his left eye, but his right eye was all black. _

_ "He's opening his eye!" she said. His aunt stood up suddenly from where she'd been reading. "Tenko! It's Yuri! Can you hear me?"_

_ He felt his head nod. She was a little blurry, but her sweet, round face and brunette ponytail were slowly coming into focus. She rubbed his arm again. He began to reach up to his right eye and felt a fabric over it. "You have a patch on your eye. You kinda look like a pirate."_

_ "What happened?" he said, his voice sounding weak. His aunt looked at him, a small child in a big hospital bed, before glancing at Yuri's mother. _

_ "We can talk about that later," she said. "Would you like to eat something? Yuri brought you some cookies she made."_

_ "Well, I really just helped," she said as she hopped onto the bed and sat beside him, her legs hanging off. He saw her mother's eyes dart down to his glove covered hands. "Why do you have these on your hands?" She grabbed the fingertip of the middle finger and began to pull. _

_ "No!" her mother said, grabbing her wrist. "He has to wear those gloves from now on."_

_ "Oh, I just wanted to hold his hand. I always feel safer when my hand is held."_

_ "You can still hold his hand with the gloves on." _

_ Yuri looked at him, disappointed, but complied. He could feel the warmth of her hand through the fabric. _

_ "Is something wrong with me?" he asked her. "I can't remember how I got here."_

_ "Everyone really misses you at school. Do you know when you'll be back?"_

_ "It will be a few weeks," his aunt answered. _

_ "A few weeks?" he said. "But I feel fine, I think. Just a little tired." He looked at Yuri. She seemed so excited to see him, excited at the prospect of them being back together._

_ "I think that's probably enough of a visit for today," his aunt said then._

_ "Yes, Yuri," her mother said. "Let's let Tenko rest. He's had a long day."_

_ She looked disappointed but reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, squeezing him tight. _

_ "I'm glad I got to see you today," she said. "Don't be sick too long so we can be in first grade together!" She let him go and hopped down, promising to return in a few days._

* * *

The hot water ran down his head and back as he stood beneath the stream contemplating every aspect of his life to that point. He leaned his head against the shower wall, breathing in the steam and thinking about Yuri. He had been completely shocked the first time he saw her again, having lost touch after she'd left to go to hero academy. Not soon after that, he'd left the home where he'd lived with his aunt, changing trajectories completely.

Despite the deceit, his mind went back to when Toga had approached him, masquerading as Yuri. She'd been so convincing, it was easy to believe it was her, until she'd said his name. _Tomura._ Yuri wouldn't casually call him that. She might spit it out at him, irritated, like an insult, but she'd still called him by the name he'd always been to her. _Tenko._

He rubbed his hands around his neck, pressing down on his shoulders, trying to work out a muscle that was tense. He thought about the man that she'd walked up with. They were obviously on a date and returning to her apartment. What would they have done if he hadn't interrupted? Would she have invited the man in? The image of them together burned in his mind, a deep core of jealousy coiling in his chest.

_Just kill him. _

But he didn't want her to be upset with him.

_Order someone else to do it._

He didn't know the ins and outs of their relationship. What if he'd misunderstood what was happening? Maybe he was someone else, a close friend. He didn't want to break her heart.

_This is why she'd never be with you. You're too much of a pussy, second guessing yourself. Women don't know what they want. Their natural instinct is to be with the biggest and strongest, that last man standing. The winner. _

He shook his head against the inner monologue, sending water droplets flying. She'd told the man to leave them the other night and the man had left. Sure, he'd seemed let down, but in that moment Yuri had chosen him over the other man.

She had looked amazing in her black dress. When she'd turned to show him where Toga had gotten her with her needle, he'd only imagined what would have happened if he'd lifted her hem just an inch more. He felt the blood rush between his legs as he thought of what would happen if she would accept his advance, if he'd touched the back of her thigh, running his hand up to grab her ass.

His body had sprung to life as he furiously scrubbed soap over his chest and abdomen, grabbing his member in his soapy hands and pumping a few times. He jerked at the feeling. It was the first time in a long while that he'd felt aroused. He rubbed his hands back over the bar of soap before grasping his tool again. He wrapped both of his hands around it, running them up and down the velvety length. His left hand grasped at what was hanging lower, gently cupping and massaging while his right hand continued working, pulling from the base out to the rounded tip. His mind drifted to Yuri in her black dress, her breasts pushed up and out, her long legs smooth and glistening. He pretended it really was her back in the bar with him, her soft hands on him, his hands finally caressing her glowing skin. He could even imagine her in her cheerleader uniform, wondering if she may still have it somewhere. His hips lurched forward as climax snuck up on him, pumping a few more times as his release shot out and was washed down the drain.

He was ready the other day to leave with her. He would have abandoned it all, completely, to start over with her. He knew if asked again, if she pleaded with him to leave together, he would leave without a second thought.

_You can have her now. You don't have to leave._

He shook his head against the thought. There was no way.

_It doesn't matter if she agrees. You're the fucking leader of the league of villains. There are ways to make her comply. What's one more offense on your rap sheet?_

The thought made him feel sick.

_There's an empty room… We could tie her up… She could be only for us…_

He wanted to think he was a good enough person to hate the idea, but he felt himself getting hard again at the thought of her tied to a bed. Tomura smirked involuntarily.

He turned the water off before wrapping a towel around himself and stepping out of the shower. He ran his hand through the fog on the mirror, eyeing his reflection. He ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back from his face. True, his eyes were tired and the fragile skin around them looked dry, making his wrinkles look more pronounced. His lips, too, seemed dry and cracking. It was a drawback of his quirk – his skin always seemed on the verge of disintegrating away. He tilted his head to the side, looking at his neck, where he tended to claw with anxiety. He picked up the tube of salve and looked at the wrapper before smoothing a small amount of the lotion around his eyes, on his lips, and on his neck. _It only takes a little bit. _She was obviously concerned about him. Butterflies flitted around his stomach when he came to that conclusion. She also wanted him to look his best, he realized.


	4. Chapter 4

The file folder landed with a _slap _on the wooden desk. Yuri leaned back in her chair and propped her hands on her abdomen with a sigh. Natsuko sat across the desk from her, carefully surveying the ends of her golden blonde hair in her hand. Laughter was coming from a game show on a television on the other side of the room.

"It's like they just disappeared," Yuri said. "These kids… there's no trace of them."

"Some of them were too young to even have their quirks registered."

"The only thing we know for sure they have in common is their geographical location."

"Do you think the League is behind it?"

Yuri tried her best to keep a neutral face. She would have liked to rebuke it, but she couldn't be for sure. She wanted to believe Tenko would never hurt anyone, but he was the leader of a troupe of villains out to destroy the symbol of hope. If he wanted to do that, wouldn't he do anything to further his agenda?

"We interrupt this program to bring you breaking news." A woman in a dark suit appeared on the television screen, cutting off the game show. "Our newscaster is standing right outside U.A. Hero Academy where there are reports that the villainous group the League of Villains only minutes ago infiltrated the school and attempted to attack the students in an effort to draw out the hero, All Might. Let's go live."

The image cut to one of a young man standing outside the gates of the school, droves of people with cameras and boom mics flanking the iron fence, but not being allowed in.

"Currently there has been no further information regarding injuries or casualties, but we are being told that dozens of villains were moments ago inside the school, along with the villain Tomura Shigaraki. The students were set to perform in a simulation today when the villains appeared. All Might was able to appear and neutralize the villains, but there are still no reports on exactly what went on inside the building. Back to you."

"We will continue to update you on this developing story. Stay tuned."

"Do you want to head that way?" Natsuko asked her as they turned their attention away from the TV.

The pencil in Yuri's hand snapped involuntarily. "I want you to go ahead and meet up with All Might and Eraserhead. I'm going to do a run through the streets and see if I can catch anyone."

"Are you sure you don't need any back up? It may not be good to go out searching for them by yourself."

"No, I'll be fine. I'll call for back up if anything happens."

Xxxxxxxx

Yuri raced through the streets, knowing the path she was taking. She knew it wasn't wise to show up at their headquarters right after they'd been fighting, but she couldn't stop herself. She didn't know if they'd be amped up on the battle, twisted from bloodlust, or if they'd all be injured and dying. The information on the news didn't say much about what had gone down at the school, so she had no context for what she might encounter.

She was mad.

He was capable of hurting, of killing.

She was hurt; hurt that she was betrayed by him. He wasn't who she thought he was, not anymore.

The line was drawn.

She knew who he was.

Tomura Shigaraki.

She could kill him.

She saw the bar coming closer and closer in her field of vision. Her hand went to her side, to her belt. In her hero suit she always carried a gun, just in case she couldn't use her quirk. It was too destructive at times, too unpredictable when she was worried about innocent bystanders.

She didn't expect the door to be unlocked, and nearly tumbled inside.

Xxxxxxx

Tomura sat in a chair to the side of the bar as Kurogiri wrapped a bandage around the bullet wounds in his hand and arms. He hissed in pain and wanted to punch the villain. He was angry. Nothing had gone the way he'd planned. All Might had destroyed the nomu – or at least to his knowledge, the nomu was gone. Then those heroes had to show up. He ground his teeth.

_Foolssss! _The demon in his mind was cursing. _It's all the fault of those hired villains. They're fucking idiots. They couldn't even contain children! And All Might…_

"He didn't look any weaker," Tomura said through gritted teeth.

"All for One said not to worry about that," Kurogiri said as he cut the bandage and secured it closed.

"He lied!"

Kurogiri shook his head. "Don't get discouraged, Tomura Shigaraki. Everything will work out in time."

Tomura jerked as the bandage wrapped around the wound, tightly occluding the bleeding hole.

_Nooo, we must have our victory! Where is our pound of flesh!? We were promised it! _The creature was raging, coming off a high of the guarantee of destruction with nothing to show. He wanted to throw all the glass bottles of alcohol through the windows, into the walls, onto the floor. He wanted to hear the shattering and watch the liquid run wet down the walls, wanted to pretend it was blood. He was hoping he'd be drunk on power by now, bathing in real blood, the blood of the number one hero…

_Go find someone… Need to feel a bone crack. Need to see the life go out of their eyesss._ He tapped his foot anxiously as he turned his head this way and that, listening to his own bones pop.

"If you are thinking about going back out, I would advise against it." Kurogiri was too insightful at times. "Reel it back in."

A sound at the door had him on his feet, the roll of the bandage falling to the floor and his arm unravelling. He was at the door in a flash to meet the intruder. Why hadn't they locked the door?

He raised his hand but stopped short when he said Yuri stumble forward. She grabbed his arm to steady herself and touched his wounds, her fingers going into the gunshots. He gasped and jerked his arm away from her, but not before her hand came away wet with blood. He jumped back from her.

The monster in his mind was jumping up and down, a dark figure excited to see a person they could wreak. _She'll do! Lay hands on her… Watch her turn to a pile of dust!_

"Get back, Yuri!" he snarled at her. "Don't touch me."

"Are you hurt?" she said as she looked at her hand.

She was in her hero clothes. Had she seen the news? Was she here to apprehend him?

_Let her try. Grab that pretty little neck. Wring her out. Choke the life out of her. _

She made a motion to reach out to him and he stepped back again.

"Stop," he growled, looking at her through his hair. "Don't come any closer." He sounded like he was out of breath. Something in his voice must have stopped her, because she stayed where she was and dropped her hand. He turned from her and went back to his seat. He couldn't feel his wounds anymore, instead he was overwhelmed by the emotions of the devil. His whole body felt warm, and his head was spinning, though that was probably from the blood loss. A mingling of violence, rage, and lust was coursing through his veins. He felt like he'd been promised a drink that had been pulled from his thirsting lips at the last moment, before he could barely even get a drop. But now, a glass of cold ice water was being offered to him. He involuntarily licked his parched lips.

"Tomura Shigaraki, leader of the league of villains," she said, her voice cold and even. "I'm here to take you in for questioning regarding the events at U.A. High School."

He laughed dryly at her. "Kurogiri, will you hand me that bandage?" Tomura looked at his arm. A stream of blood was slowly making its way down his arm. The villain handed him the unrolled bandage from where it had fallen on the floor.

"Leave us," he said. Kurogiri looked from one of them to the other but left as told. Shigaraki began to roll the bandage back up his arm.

"We can get you first aid at the station," Yuri said from across the room. Tomura didn't answer her. She touched her gun. "Don't make me use force."

"Are you going to _shoot _me?" He looked up at her from under his eyebrows. She looked pale, as if she'd seen a ghost. He cracked his neck. "I can stand a few more holes. Bring it on. But I won't go easy on you either."

She moved her hand from her gun stepped back, leaning against the wall. She exhaled forcefully, as if she'd been holding in a breath. "There is another way…"

He lifted his head and looked at her. "You could turn around and walk out of that door and forget where this place is. And when things go down I won't tell anyone you knew where I was the whole time and didn't report anything."

She looked like she'd been slapped in the face. "Tenko…"

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" He roared at her. She was beginning to look genuinely frightened and the creature was eating it up. _Fear flavors the flesh, makes the killing that much sweeter. _His foot was tapping the floor again.

"You should never have come here." Tomura was loving seeing her squirm. Tenko was frightening himself. He didn't enjoy seeing Yuri afraid of him, but it was like he was splitting at the seams. He was so comfortable playing the villain, letting Tomura run the show. But he didn't relish this.It was as though he were about to undergo a physical division, and the two parts of him would separate into two beings.

"I need information about something else," she blurted out quickly, her voice quivering.

His foot stilled. "Why should I help you?" The monster stopped its bouncing and lusting as well, waiting patiently for once. Tenko was concerned about why it was listening so intently.

"Because we're friends."

"Try again."

"You're still a good person."

He laughed at her.

"So I won't tell anyone where you stay."

"So you won't tell anyone where I stay." He said each word slowly, as if he were trying to process it.

Before she could react, he was coming at her, a blur of motion through the room. He stopped inches in front of her, one of his hands around her throat, the other braced against the wall. His middle finger hovered millimeters above her skin.

"You're trembling," he whispered. She swallowed and he felt the muscles of her neck move. "Didn't I tell you last time? It's Tomura now. I don't know you. At first, I thought maybe you were ballsy, coming into my place and demanding things from me. Now I just think you're stupid. Do you really think you can come in here and threaten me and not expect anything to happen? I'm a patient man, and I humored you, but there's only so much one man can take before he starts to break."

_Stop. _He heard a voice in his mind. He looked in her eyes and saw the terror.

_NO! Keep going… Pleassse. She is ourssss. _The devil hissed. _She came here. It's her fault. Now she must pay. We must teach her what happensss._

He shook his head against the argument.

_She wanted to speak to me. She said we were still friends._

_ She's a liar, a whore. She's used you before and she'll use you again._

_ I don't want her to be afraid of me._

_ It'sss too late for that! _Maniacal laughter filled his head.

He pulled himself back from her so fast she nearly fell over. He put his hands on his knees, kneeling a bit and trying to pull all the parts of himself back together.

_Maybe there's an option we can all be satisfied with. _A third voice said. It was calm and analytical. _Tomura. _Tenko, Tomura, and the monster. There were way too many egos for one body.

He stood up straight and looked at her. "What information do you need?" He knew his voice was too cold, too flat, but he was having a hard time keeping control. "Keep in mind there is a price."

"I-I," she stammered and swallowed. She cleared her throat. "I need to know about the missing children."

"The league isn't involved in human trafficking."

"So, that's what it is then?" her hand was absentmindedly touching her neck. He watched her fingers on her skin.

"If you didn't already know that, then you're a shit detective."

"What do you know about it?"

"Not much, could find out more, depending on what I would get in return."

"I don't have any money."

"Don't want money."

"They may be able to lessen your sentence when you turn yourself in if you cooperate."

He laughed at her again. "Not going to get caught. And not turning myself in."

"Then I don't know that I have anything to negotiate with."

"Hmmm," he made a sound and walked over to her with deliberate slowness. He grabbed her hand and lifted it above her head, spinning her around slowly. She turned back to face him. "There are other ways to pay for things."

She slapped him across the face.

"I guess that's a no, then," he said with a twisted grin as he rubbed his cheek.

They stood in silence for a few seconds.

"Is there a chart?" she said as she crossed her arms.

"A chart?"

"Like a pay chart."

"Oh, so you're asking about different tiers?"

She scowled at him.

"Don't make that face. You don't have to agree to it."

"No, I want to hear the terms and conditions."

"Oh, ho, ho," he scoffed at her. "Little miss tight ass is interested in an exchange?"

"You're such an annoying prick. Tomura, Tenko, whatever the hell your name is."

"I'll have to decide on what I think the information is worth."

"No, I'll decide whether I think the information is good or not."

"We can agree beforehand what options are on the table."

"What if I still don't think the information was worth it?"

"You can bring it up to the committee."

"The committee?" she asked. "Who is in the committee?"

"Me. I'll decide whether your concerns are valid. If they are, we can renegotiate. If not, I still get my dick sucked."

She slapped him again.

"You're so disgusting."

"Slapping and insulting is tier one and it requires no clothes."

"I'm leaving," she said and turned to the door. He slapped her ass as she turned, and she jumped nearly a foot off the ground.

She turned and pointed a finger in his face. "What do I get for that?"

"A free pass out of here for tonight," he said and extended a hand. "So, do we have a deal?"

She seemed to be thinking a moment before she extended her hand back to him. They clasped hands, his index finger hovering outside of their grasp.

"Tomura Shigaraki," she said. "I suppose I'm supposed to say it's nice to meet you, but that would be a lie. I just want to solve this mystery."

"I scratch your back, and you scratch mine." He placed his hand on the doorknob.

"How will I know when I can come collect the information?"

"Come back in like a week or something," he said before he opened the door and pushed her outside, slamming the door behind her.

As soon as the door was closed he collapsed on the ground, a pile of latent teenage anxiety, vicious lust, and dark confidence.


	5. Chapter 5

WARNING: ADULT SITUATIONS

* * *

Yuri's legs trembled as she made her way to her apartment. She didn't want to go back to the office, and she was in no shape to meet up with the heroes at U.A. There was no way she could have prepared herself for that. She'd been looking to barter with an old friend but hadn't found him.

Who was Tomura Shigaraki?

He looked like Tenko and had his memories, but when she looked into his eyes, there was no Tenko. All that stared back was malicious cunning and formulations. His face was cold and calculated, constantly sizing her up and down to see what he could deduce from her. They weren't old friends when he had that look. She was something to be used and consumed.

But even that was better than the third face she'd seen; a twisted insanity at the bottom of a black abyss, like some crazed psychopath. It was nearly uncontrollable, she could see.

A heat crept up her neck as she thought about what he'd said to her. Were they in some sort of spoken contract now? And sex was the payment? She wasn't even sure why she'd agreed.

The information was important, but was it _that_ important?

She was ashamed of her answer.

It wasn't that important. She knew that. There were other ways to find out what she needed.

But she'd still agreed.

And then he'd mentioned oral sex. And removing clothes. She put her hand over her face to cover her embarrassment.

He'd smacked her bottom on the way out.

But she hadn't told him to stop. _What do I get for that? _She'd asked.

She wanted more.

She stumbled up the stairs to her apartment and went straight in, kicking her boots off in the entryway. Her skin was covered in goosebumps and it felt like every hair on her body was standing on end.

She felt electric. She tried to slow her panting breath. She couldn't believe she was having such a reaction, but the truth was she was terribly turned on. She yanked her duster off, letting it fall to the ground and pulled her tank top over her head. She practically jumped out of her shorts and panties and raced to take a cold shower.

The freezing water did nothing to calm her, and instead her mind was still running back to Tomura Shigaraki. He was a villain, for goodness' sake! She knew she shouldn't be thinking of him in any way other than negative. He was dangerous and rough and would stop at nothing. She was playing with a loaded gun by going back to him. He could just as easily lock her up in the bar, keeping her from telling anyone where he was staying. And those hands… He could destroy her with one wrong move, but he was also delicate. Years of carefully touching things not to disintegrate them had given him a graceful movement. She could imagine those hands on her body, on her bare skin, running down her sides and caressing lower and lower.

She grabbed her loofah and scrubbed her back nearly raw. The water wasn't cold enough.

She wrapped a towel around herself as she stepped out of the shower, using a second one to scrub her hair dry.

She picked up her phone and saw a missed call from Natsuko. The phone began to ring on the other end as she hit redial.

"Hello?" came the voice that answered.

"Hey," Yuri said. "I saw your missed call. Everything ok?"

"Yea, everything's fine over here. No one was seriously injured except No. 13, but they expect her to make a full recovery."

"Good, good," Yuri said absentmindedly.

"It's for sure the work of the League, though. All Might said Tomura Shigaraki was here. He nearly killed someone, but one of the students stopped him just in time."

She closed her eyes and swallowed.

"Are you OK?" Natsuko asked. "Did everything go OK?"

"Yea, yea, I'm fine," Yuri said. "I didn't see anything or find anything out. It's like they just…poofed…"

"Well, they have a warpgate, so Shigaraki got out of there pretty quick, but not before Snipe got at least two hits on him."

Her mind went back to the bandages on his arm and the blood running down. She'd grabbed his arm and he'd recoiled in pain. Was he Tenko then?

Tomura had quickly forgotten about his wounds.

"I do think I may have a lead on an informant about these missing kids," Yuri said as she twirled a lock of hair around her finger.

"Anyone you can tell me about?"

"No," she said. "It's still shaky at best. I don't know if I'll get any useful information. They seem to be a bit of a loose cannon."

"I trust you," Natsuko said. "If anyone can make it work, it's you."

They chatted a few minutes more before saying goodbye and hanging up. She laid back on the bed, letting her cell phone bounce off the mattress and fall to the ground. Maybe she could keep Tomura Shigaraki distracted enough that the league of villains would settle into a lull. She put a hand over her face. Did she really think she could provide more entertainment than violence and destruction? Her face was going red just thinking about it. There were ways to keep him occupied… She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She couldn't stay on him all the time.

She grabbed her pillow and screamed into it. Even the innocent thoughts running through her head seemed to have inappropriate connotations.

But as much as it made her uncomfortable, she also couldn't help but want to get closer. Like playing with fire, she wanted to see how close she could get before she finally got burned.

* * *

He was fiddling with a poker chip on the bar, watching it spin while he sulked. He knew he should be embarrassed and outraged at Tomura's treatment of Yuri, but he also found himself jealous. Tomura had managed to flirt more with Yuri in 15 minutes than he had in his entire life. He could still feel her ass in his hand, round and soft, yet firm. It had made a satisfying _slap! _when he'd given it a smack.

And she really hadn't protested _that _much. He wasn't sure what that meant. She'd slapped him a few times, but he couldn't say he minded that much. He could tell she wasn't trying to hurt him. Hell, it had barely even been a warning. It was just enough for her to feign indignity at how he was speaking to her, and what he was suggesting. He felt himself smirk.

_Feign. Indignity. _She hadn't run out screaming afterwards either. In fact, he'd had to essentially grab her and push her out the door. What would have happened if he hadn't forced her out? Would she have stayed while they started working on the conditions in tier one?

He shuddered involuntarily and had to readjust the front of his black jeans. He really needed to get himself together. A sound on the stairs pulled his attention back to the present.

Kurogiri entered the room and walked behind the bar. He began to polish the glasses with a dust cloth. "Anything on your mind, Shigaraki?"

"Nothing really," he said and grabbed the remote to the television. He switched on the U.A. Sports Festival. He'd been following it closely, both as a sport and as a way to keep an eye on potential _hiccups _in his future plans. It was the closing ceremonies, where they announced the winners.

"Did I hear another voice down here earlier?"

"That hero, Synergis. She came back for something."

"Hmmmm," Kurogiri said. The orange slits that were his eyes seemed to narrow. "Are you sure you should be condoning this? She's been here multiple times now. Perhaps we should relocate our headquarters."

"She's harmless enough," he said as he waved his hand. "She was actually looking for information about the missing kids."

"So, she was planning to arrest you?"

"No, she knew the League wasn't involved."

"Then she thought you would be her insider informant."

Tomura shrugged. "We may be able to come to some sort of deal. Do you know anything about those kids?"

"No," Kurogiri shook his head.

"I would really like to be able to tell her something the next time she comes, no matter how small it is. Maybe she can be made into a turncoat; _our _insider informant. We just have to bait her a little bit, keep her interested."

"I will see what I can find out."

Tomura looked back to see the winners of the Sports Festival standing on the stage for photographs. The runner up was the son of Endeavor, the number two hero. No surprise there. But the number one student was a newcomer, Katsuki Bakugo. He seemed to be in quite a rage at that moment. He was chained on the stage, as if he would go into a frenzy otherwise. He also had a gag in his mouth, but he was still trying his best to scream and shout through the barrier.

Tenko tapped a finger against his lip, thinking how much the student looked like a villain in that instance. His mind soon drifted, and he was wondering if Yuri were there, watching from the stadium somewhere. Or maybe she was watching from her apartment, or a bar somewhere with friends. She could have been on patrol during that time.

He shook his head, trying to clear her out of his mind. If things worked out, she'd be close again soon enough.

* * *

The night sky was twinkling above her as she stood outside the bar, wondering what the correct protocol was. Should she knock or just let herself in? It was a place of business, but she was willing to play nice with the big, bad villains and try to be respectful of their space. It had been four days since she'd seen Tomura Shigaraki, and they'd struck a deal. They hadn't had any contact since, but it was Saturday now, and a good excuse to go by and see if he'd dug up any information for her.

That, and she felt like she may go insane if she didn't see him again. She hadn't been able to sleep since their last exchange. She would wake up in a cold sweat, but still feeling hot and bothered, like she'd been squirming for hours with no relief. She would always wake up at the worst time; just as he would loom over her, his body so close she could feel the warmth from his skin.

On the plus side, it did save a lot of money and energy with all the cold showers she was taking.

She turned the doorknob and let herself in. The bar looked the same as it always did, only this time it wasn't Tenko behind the bar, but instead it was the dark-haired guy she'd encountered her first time there. The burned areas of his skin stood out in stark contrast to his paler skin. His bright blue eyes fell on her and she saw a twinkle of something. Mischievousness? Cunning? Evil?

"Well, look who it is," he said as he stood from the stool he'd been perched on. He was wearing black pants held up with a black belt with double grommets running the entire length. His black jacket fell just to his hips over his white t shirt. The piercings on his ears glinted in the light, as well as all the metal fasteners that seemed to be holding the burnt areas of his skin together. He walked around her, taking in her outfit. "What are you doing here all dressed up?"

Maybe she had overdressed. She was nearly sick to admit it. A small part of her – a dark, twisted part – had been looking forwardto going there and hopefully receiving some information. And happily giving whatever the payment may be.

She'd dressed the part, she'd hoped. She wasn't sure how to dress for a villain, but based on the reaction she was getting already, she'd guessed right. It wasn't anything too sexy. Only a slinky, silk, midnight blue spaghetti strap dress. It hit about mid-calf. It wasn't anything overly clingy, instead gliding gently across her curves. She'd slipped into some strappy black heels to complete the look. And if anyone were to remove her dress tonight, they would find a pair of mesh, black panties underneath.

He reached out and touched one of her loose curls and she recoiled away from him.

"Dabi, was it?" she said, her voice with an edge to it. "I don't think we were properly introduced."

"You've got a lot of balls to come here, dressed like _that_," his finger trailed to one of her spaghetti straps, watching it roll to the side with his finger. She caught it before he let it fall off her shoulder. "Is Shigaraki expecting you?"

"I'm not sure," she responded, not knowing what the right answer was. He'd said to come back in a week, but they hadn't had any further conversation to say whether it was a good time or not. "Is he in?"

"He is." Dabi circled around to her back before lowering his nose to her neck and inhaling slowly. She heard the click of the lock on the door she'd come through. "Why don't you have a seat, sweetheart, and I'll go grab him."

She didn't turn, but she heard his boots as he walked away from her and through another doorway, turning to go up what she had assumed were stairs.

She turned to the bar and walked over to it, eyeing some of the bottles. She wished she'd had a drink or two or three before leaving her apartment. It had seemed like a good idea to go there dressed like that, but now she felt exposed and a little desperate. Was it right for her to dress that way? Her constant state of hormones was driving her crazy. He couldn't possibly have had any information for her that would warrant such a dress. He would see right through her, to the fact that she'd been thinking about their last encounter the entire time they'd been apart. The danger, and mystery, how forbidden any relationship would be. Even just her being there was enough to get her in serious trouble.

But not only all that, she also wanted to see _him _again. Her old friend. The one that she used to play in the sandbox with. The one she used to ride to school with. The one that used to come over and help anytime her bicycle had something wrong with it. The one that would come see her nearly every day she worked at the ice cream stand.

The same one she used to stare at when he would take his shirt off after a run, sweat running down his belly button and into his shorts.

She felt her cheeks burn hot, embarrassed at how her hormones were running away from her. This was supposed to be a negotiation, but she was beginning to feel that she was giving him the upper hand. She had no idea how much information he may have – if any at all. So, why then, had she decided to go there, dressed in a way to excite him, when he may not know anything. She wasn't leaving anything for him to chase. She may as well have laid herself down on a platter for him.

She heard footfalls coming down the stairs and her heartrate increased. It felt like it may pound out of her chest. She was nearly ready to sprint for the door when he appeared in the doorway. The hand was on his face. He was wearing black jeans, a black t shirt, and a black jacket with the hood pulled over his head. His usual red sneakers stuck out from his jeans. He gave her a look up and down.

"I didn't realize this was a formal event," he said.

She blushed. She must have looked ridiculous to him. "I have a date after this. I just thought I would swing by to see if you found anything out while I was in the area."

_Liar, _she thought. There was no way he would believe that.

His eyes narrowed at her as he walked behind the bar. He removed the hand carefully, setting it on the surface. Without the hand blocking his face, she could see he looked tired.

_Tenko_.

"Would you like a drink?"

"Please," she said.

"Anything in particular?"

"Just whatever wine you have open."

She watched as he poured a white wine into a glass and set it in front of her.

"Nothing for you?" She took a sip from her glass.

"I don't want to delay your date."

"It won't be a problem." Another, larger drink.

He looked at her again then, studying her as if he were trying to make a difficult decision. He finally pulled out a smaller glass and poured a finger width of a brown liquid inside.

"Are you going to come have a seat?" she asked him as she stared at him over the top of her glass.

"No, I don't think so."

She felt rebuffed at that. Maybe he didn't like her dress. Maybe he thought she looked desperate, and that was a turn off for him. They had been arguing the last time. Maybe that was what he liked.

"Have you managed to find out any information?"

"This really isn't the best time," he said, his voice sounding strained.

"Oh. OK," she responded, confused. Of course, he would be busy. She couldn't just go barging in on him and expecting an audience. "I didn't mean to intrude. We can reschedule for some other time. You must be very busy. When would be good for you?"

"I know where your apartment is. I'll come to you."

She nodded at him before finishing her drink. He hadn't poured much. She stood from the stool.

"Alright then, I will be looking for you, then," she said and turned to walk toward the door. Faster than she thought possible, he was beside her, his fingers on her wrist.

"Why did you come here dressed like this?"

"I-I already told you, I have a date." She stammered, unnerved by how close he was. Her response sounded fake, even to her own ears. He would have to be a moron to believe her.

His lips were pressed hard into a thin line. He looked like he hadn't slept in days. He nodded once, as if he were responding to a question.

"What do you want to know?" His fingertips went to her collarbone, dusting at the shimmery powder she'd brushed on after her shower.

"Whatever you want to tell me." She stood still under his fingers, not wanting to scare him away.

"We haven't discussed a price yet."

She tried to swallow, her mouth suddenly dry despite the wine. "Whatever you think is appropriate."

A smirk tugged at his lips. "I decide?"

"I trust you to pick a payment that is proportionate to the quality of the information."

"Trusting me was your first mistake."

She reached up then and touched his hair, sliding her hands under his hood and pushing it away from his head. Her hands were shaking as she pulled them back.

"I trust you wouldn't jump straight to the main event after the first exchange."

"What would you consider to be the main event?" He was watching her carefully, a dangerous gleam in his eyes.

It was official – her mouth was literally cotton. It seemed all the moisture had moved elsewhere.

"I'm sure we could figure something out," she finally managed to get out. She placed her hand in the center of his chest. His heart seemed to be beating as fast as hers despite his cold and detached exterior.

"Are you sure your _date _would approve of this?" His fingers had moved from her wrists to her upper arms. The distance between them was getting smaller and smaller.

"He doesn't have to know," she said. The charade was still going on. Maybe he believed she was meeting up with someone. Could he really think that? Should she tell him it was a lie? Then she'd have to admit to the embarrassing truth – she'd worn that dress for him. Was she the one trying to jump straight to the main event?

"You must take me as a man with a lot of restraint," he said, his fingers trailing up her arm again, teasing her collarbone and tracing the side of her neck. The pad of his index finger came to rest on her bottom lip. "You come here, dressed like this, tell me you're meeting another man afterward, but you don't mind an exchange for information. It's my decision on what the payment is, but I somehow still have to restrain myself from whatever you believe the _main event _is." His eyes were beginning to have more life behind them, but she could see them changing. Tenko was slowly fading, and she could see Tomura emerging.

Fingertips danced down her chin and between her collarbones, continuing down her sternum and between her breasts. He began to play with the silky seam on the thin bust of the dress.

"Maybe you take me as someone with a lot of restraint," she countered when she finally regained her breath. She was really having to concentrate on breathing and listening. The hormones were raging, making it difficult for her to function. If she were to let them control her, she would have him pushed back on the bar and straddled in no time.

Instead, she grabbed the hem of his t shirt and pulled it up, exposing his flat stomach. This was the closest she'd been to his bare skin, and the 14-year-old in her was ready to die from anticipation. She reached out and touched him, her fingers running along the contours of his flesh.

The sudden movement seemed to have confused him. When Yuri looked at his face, Tomura had retreated and Tenko was back. His head dipped to her neck and she felt his lips and teeth against her skin. She shivered as his mouth continued up, stopping to nip at her earlobe. Her hand found an anchor behind his neck, and she pulled him closer.

He suddenly pulled away from her, his hands going to her wrists. She was happy to see that he seemed just as worked up and out of breath as she was. The cool, calm demeanor was long forgotten.

"I can give you the address of where they are keeping some of the missing kids," he said.

She felt her eyebrows furrow as he looked down at her face. "Alright."

"I don't know how many kids there are, but it should at least give you something to get started on." He dropped her hands and stepped back from her, walking behind the bar and withdrawing a small post it note. He handed it to her, his pinky extended from the paper. An address was scrawled on it in what Yuri recognized as his handwriting, only all grown up.

"OK," she said, unsure of where to put the note. She didn't have a purse with her. "Thank you."

He looked at her expectantly.

"Is that it, then?" she asked.

"That's it. Wouldn't want you to be late for your _date_."

The word was soaked with venom. Was he…_hurt? _Could she have hurt a villain's feelings?

"It's really alright," she said, "I have plenty of time."

"No," he growled as he grabbed her wrist tightly. He pulled her toward the door. He placed his hand on the doorknob. "I'll come to you next time. When I'm ready. Don't come back here looking for me. If you do, I'll leave you to Dabi."

She nodded her head slowly, suddenly afraid of the shift in his mood. His eyes were flashing so quickly she wasn't sure who or what to expect. Tenko. Tomura. Monster. It was like spinning a wheel and not knowing where it might land.

Once again, he opened the door and pushed her out onto the sidewalk, slamming the door behind her.


End file.
